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G. K HENNIG & L. BAJDE. TUNING MECHANISM FOR STRINGED INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 4 H4- 1,1 93,384. Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GUSTAV KARL HENNIG, OF BGHLITZ-EHRENBERG, NEAR LEIPZIG, AND LUDWIG BAJ DE,

OF LEIPZIG-EUTRITZSCH, GERMANY, ASSIGNORS TO THE FIRM OF LUDWIG HUP- FELD AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, OF BGHLITZ-EHRENBERG, NEAR LEIPZIG, GERMANYJ TUNING MECHANISM FOR STRIN GED INSTRUMENTS.

Application filed May 4, 1914.

To all :10 hom it may concern Be it known that we, GUSTAV KARL HEN- me, a subject of the King of Saxony, residing at Btihlitz-Ehrenberg, near Leipzig, Germany, and LUDWIG BA-TDE, a subject of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, residing at Leipzig-Eutritzsch, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tuning Mechanism for Stringed Instruments, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to the tuning mechanism for stringed instruments, and seeks to overcome some of the disadvantages of the devices and mechanisms now in use. It is well known that strings hold their tone but a short time after, tuning them, and there is no provision made to compensate for the letting down of the tone, so that the string has to be re-tuned by hand, an operation requiring a musical ear. These defects are especially noticeable in mechancial musical stringed instruments that come into the possession of non-musical persons, who are un able to tune them. The letting down of the strings is especially noticeable in combined automatic musical instruments, as for example, those combining one or more of the various violin types of instruments with a piano.

The gut strings of the violin readily stretch by use, and are very sensitive to temperature changes and other variations of atmospheric conditions, while piano strings get out of tune less readily, and are influenced mostly by temperature changes only.

It has been proposed to keep strings in tune by loading them with weights or springs. Known arrangements of this kind have not however, been satisfactory because they do not make sufiicient allowance for variations in the length of the strings or for the varying degrees of strength of the strings, and therefore do not maintain a uniform load thereon.

According to the present invention, and in view of the small space available, the aim is to produce a structure that permits the ready hanging and changing of the weights as well as of the instrument. The means for obtaining the uniform load is a weight whose suspension is guided over a roller.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are similarly designated Figure 1 is a front view, Fig. 2 a side view, and Fig.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

Serial No. 836,258.

3 a detail view in section of a violin type of instrument provided with a tensioniug mechanism embodying our invention. Fig. l. is a vertical section of the weights. Fig. at is a plan thereof. Fig. 5 is a view in which the violin string is shown wound on an expansible roller device actuated by a weight. Figs. 6 and 7 show the invention applied to a horizontally positioned violin. Figs. 8 and 9 show further modifications.

In the example shown in Figs. 1 to 3, we have shown part of the frame work 1 of a mechanical violin instrument from which the violin 2 is vertically supported. The string 3 of this violin is provided with the tensioning mechanism embodying our invention. The violin is mounted in an inverted position with its head 5 mounted on a pivot 6 in a small frame 7. In said frame 7 is also mounted a shaft 8 having a sleeve 9 retatable thereon 011 which the violin string 3 is wound, there being a slot 10 cut in the scroll of the violin head to permit the string to freely pass to the sleeve 9. Fast on the sleeve is a small worm wheel 11 that is rotated by means of a worm 12 mounted in bearings 13 on a cord pulley 14. This pulley or roller 14 is fast on the shaft 8. In the groove of the pulley 141 is fastened one end of a cord 15 on the other end of which hangs a weight 16. The direction of winding up of the violin string 3 is opposite to the direction of winding up of the cord 15.

By rotating the worm 12 the sleeve 9- is rotated on shaft 8 and the length of the \yiolin string may be thereby altered, or the violin can be thus strung. The constant load of the weight 16 maintains a constant load on the violin string 3, the sleeve 9 being coupled to the cord pulley 14 by means of the worm 12 and worm wheel 11.

The load on the violin string may be increased in a suitable manner by means of removable weights 17, Figs. 4 and 4, said weights having slots whereby they can be placed laterally in position around the cord 15, and be supported by the main weight 16. By adding or removing the weights the load may be altered to suit strings of different thicknesses. The violin 2 can be moved on its pivot 6 to a ring bow 18 in the direction of arrow 22 by means of a motor pneumatic 19 connected to the violin by a rod 20. The pneumatic has a pipe or tube connection 21, which, as is customary, may

be connected to a suction chamber of the automatic instrument. The mechanism for moving the violin forms no part of the present invention.

In Fig. we have shown a modification in which the string 3 is wound upon a drum 20, whose diameter may be altered so that the leverage of pulley 23 on the string 3 will alter with the change of diameter of the drum, thereby avoiding the necessity of using removable weights, such as 17, Figs. 4 and .e. The pulley having the weight 16 attached to it by cord 15, as before, is in this figure mounted on a shaft rotatable in bearings Qt. To the hub of the pulley are pivotally connected one end of each of the expansihle members 26 forming the expansion drum. The other end of each of these members 26 is pivotally connected to a slide or hub member 27. This slide is movable longitudinally of the threaded portion 28 by means of a nut 29 and lock nut 30. By suitably adjusting the nut 29 on the screw 28 the string is tuned, thereby increasing or decreasing the effective load on the string while the drum is free to rotate with the pulley 23 to compensate for alterations in length of the string, due to the various conditions that affect the length of such strings.

In Figs. 6 and 7 the worm and worm wheel mechanism 31, 32, 33 are mounted in the tail piece 3-1: of the violin, while the tensioning weight is connected to the pulley It on whose axle one end of the violin string is wound. This pulley is mounted on the frame 35 that carries the violin.

In Figs. 8 and 9 is shown a mechanism similar to that shown in Fig. 1, mounted directly on the violin head. lVhen the violin or the like is subjected to movements while being played, such as being brought up to a bow for example, or when stopping fin gers act upon the string, the loading weight might oscillate with the vibration of the string and affect the tone. In order to avoid this it is advantageous to place a slight pressure on the string by means of fingers 38 operated by a motor pneumatic 37, and, as shown in Fig. 9, the vibration of the weight may also he stopped by soft bodies 39 or a light spring t0, or by using both. Such a damping mechanism while only shown in Figs. 8 and 9 may also be used in connection with the mechanisms shown in Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6.

The mechanism herein described is not only applicable to violins but to other stringed instruments.

lVe claim- 1. A musical stringed instrument having the string attached at one end thereto, a wheel and axle, means to connect the free end of the string to the wheel, and a weight suspended from the periphery of the wheel to rotate the latter in one direction to maintain a constant uniform load on the string.

2. A musical stringed instrument having the string connected at one end thereto, a winding device connected with the string, a wheel to which the string is connected, a weight, and means to suspend the weight from the periphery of the wheel to rotate the latter in one direction and maintain a constant uniform load on the string.

3. A musical stringed instrument having the string connected at one end thereto, a wheel and axle a string connected to the wheel, a weight, suspension means connecting the weight to the wheel, and a. string winding mechanism carried by the latter.

4. In a string tuning mechanism, means for maintaining a constant tension on a string comprising a rotating element, means to rotate the element in one direction, a second rotating element connected to the first element and to which the string is attached, and means to adjust the leverage between the two elements.

5. In a string tuning mechanism comprising a pulley, means to urge the pulley to rotate in one direction, an expansible drum connected to said pulley around which the string is wound, a threaded shaft on which one end of said drum is slidable and a nut on said shaft to cause the change in diameter of said drum.

6. In a string tuning mechanism, the com bination with a string winding device and means to place a constant load on the string comprising a pulley, a weight. and a suspension between the weight and pulley, and means to stop the vibration of said weight.

7. In a string tuning mechanism, the combination with a string winding device and means to place a constant load on the string comprising a pulley, a weight, and a suspension between the weight and pulley, means arranged to contact with the string to stop vibration thereof and means contacting with the weight to stop vibration of the latter.

8. In a string tuning mechanism, a pulley, a weight, a flexible suspension connecting the pulley and weight, an expansion drum connected to the pulley and to which the string is connected, and means to damp the vibration of the weight.

In testimony whereof w have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GUSTAV KARL HENNIG. LUDlVIG BAJDE.

Witnesses EMIL Guiv'rnnn, RUDOLPH Fmonn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

